Grant for charging stations complete

During the June 11 Chester town board meeting, Supervisor Brandon Holdridge announced that the town completed a grant process to receive nearly $50,000 in funding for two EV charging stations.

The grant had originally been awarded in 2021, but Holdridge said the paperwork for the grant had not been completed when he took office in 2024. He said the town was able to get the paperwork done in time and the EV stations will be installed - one at the at the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center and another at the senior center - soon.

The board later voted to set a public hearing of July 9 to pass a local law allowing a referendum on the ward voting system. The new ward system takes effect in 2026 and will take place every two years for all seats. The board hopes the public will agree to four-year staggered terms and that will be brought to a mandatory referendum on this year’s election should the local law pass the town board.

In other news:

* Holdridge said he had secured New signs for the Sugar Loaf Engine Company on Kings Highway have been secured through the Orange County Department of Public Works.

* The town received $5,000 from Orange County for the Field Day put on at Chester Commons Park.

* The board held a public hearing on its CDBG application, which seeks to make Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements to the Carpenter Park snack stand and bathrooms building, as well as parking lot lighting improvements. There were no public comments during the public hearing.

* A resolution to appropriate $10,000 from the general fund for the paving and striping of several new parking spots in the senior center parking lot was passed. These spots will be reserved for senior citizens.

* The board also passed a resolution to approve a PayGov proposal for online tax services. With the passage of this resolution residents will be able to pay their taxes online, with a cost of 2.5 percent for the convenience. Holdridge said this move would “bring Chester into the year 2025.”

* Upon the recommendation of the planning board, the town board voted to appoint Robert Koff to the planning board, leaving only one of seven positions vacant. Holdridge abstained from the vote.

* A $9,446 bid for a water department trailer from Hudson River Truck and Trailer was approved. This is less than the $15,000 budgeted for the trailer in the town budget.

* The board voted to amend the budgets for four of the water districts to purchase additional meters in the districts. The town will invest $2,000 in the Walton Lake water districts, $2,000 in the Surrey Meadows water district, $2,000 in the Sugar Loaf water district and $5,000 in the Lake Hill Farms water district.

* The town has scrapped its plans for a summer camp due to low demand. Meanwhile, its theater and film camps have only attracted about 10 campers for each, which the board blamed on high prices. As such, the board voted to lower prices for the camps to $200 for town residents and $250 for non-residents.

* The town has installed a generator at the senior center, which allowed the town board to officially designate the senior center as an emergency shelter and cooling/heating center. Holdridge said he hopes that town hall can eventually get a generator, as well, though the grant requesting one was scrapped by Trump administration budget cuts.

* An emergency contact system known as Civic Ready to help contact residents during emergency situations such as weather events was approved. The city of Middletown also uses the system, which will cost $7,155 the first year and $6,000 subsequent years.

* A public hearing for July 9 to change the stop signs in Surrey Meadows has been set. The local law would remove two stop signs on Surrey Road at the intersection with June Road and add a stop sign at the Vivan Lane/Surrey Road intersection, as well as the Bridle Lane/Surrey Road intersection.

The next board meeting will be held at 6:45 p.m. on June 25, 2025 at Town Hall, 1786 Kings Highway.